-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- For the Dawsons of Tauranga , New Zealand , the canoe slalom event at the London Olympics will be a family affair .

Mike Dawson , who is competing in the men 's kayak class , will not just be trying to impress his father , who coaches him , or his brother and sister , who will be watching from the crowd . He will also need to ensure he does n't incur the disapproval of his mother , Kay , who is one of the judges at the event .

The idea of a mother officiating in a competition in which her son is participating may strike some as a little unfair , but the Dawsons and the New Zealand Canoe Federation are eager to stress there 's no scope for special treatment in this case .

`` The only real advantage mum can give me is her presence at what will be my biggest race ever , '' said Mike Dawson , who is competing in the Olympics for the first time after finishing 16th in the canoe slalom world championships in Slovakia last year .

The event involves the kayakers flinging themselves down a steep course of white-water rapids , weaving through a series of gates like slalom skiers in a race against the clock . If the competitors touch or miss a gate , they suffer a time penalty .

Each gate has a judge watching out for errors , and a chief official oversees the entire course .

As one of the gate judges , Kay Dawson has an important role , but her decisions will be scrutinized by other officials -- each gate judge also monitors the two gates on either side . Competitors ' runs are reviewed on video , and the chief official has the final say .

`` I ca n't envisage any way a single gate judge could influence the outcome for any athlete , '' said Maree Burnett , the secretary general of the New Zealand Canoe Federation . `` Kay is a very experienced international judge . ''

The International Canoe Federation , which selected her as the only judge from New Zealand for the Olympic event , agrees . In the past few years , Kay Dawson has officiated at canoe slalom world championships and world cups in which her 25-year-old son has raced .

The ICF has `` a strong officiating process in place to ensure accuracy and fairness at all its competitions , whether it is at world cups , world championships or at the Olympic Games , '' said Lerina Bright , a spokeswoman for the federation .

She noted that some judges at the event have the same nationality as some competitors .

`` That could equally be thought to create a conflict of interest , '' she said . `` However , the judging process is thorough and stringent and does not provide any possibility for a single individual to affect the outcome of a competitor 's run . ''

Despite the multitude of officials at the canoe slalom event , the role of individual judges is still significant , Kay Dawson has said .

`` When officiating the athlete and 100 % accuracy is always the focus , one poor call can mean the difference between a top-10 finish and chance of a medal or being out of the competition , '' she wrote in an article on the New Zealand federation 's website in February .

Relationships with family and friends do n't enter the equation , though , she says .

`` I 've been officiating for a number of years now and know a lot of the athletes , so it is easy to put aside any personal emotions when I 'm on the course , '' Kay Dawson said in comments relayed by the ICF on Wednesday .

`` Several of the top men 's slalom paddlers have stayed with us in New Zealand while they 've been training with Mike and I owe it to all of them to do the most professional job possible , '' she added .

Mike Dawson , who was born and raised in the Bay of Plenty region of New Zealand , says the best way for him to stamp out any perceptions of favoritism is to not make any mistakes .

`` If I 'm paddling well , the gate judges wo n't come into play at all , '' he said .

He is not the only New Zealander competing in the canoe slalom : Luuka Jones , also from Tauranga , became the first New Zealand woman to compete in the kayak competition in the Olympics after qualifying for the 2008 Beijing Games . London will be her second Olympics , at the age of just 23 .

For Mike Dawson , the Games are full of new experiences .

`` We 've been in the Olympic Village for a few days and it 's pretty cool , '' Mike Dawson said . `` I can see how people get intimidated , but really it 's just like a hotel with an epic food court . ''

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Mike Dawson is competing in the men 's kayak event at the Olympics

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His mother , Kay , is one of the judges at the event

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The Dawsons and the New Zealand Canoe Federation say she ca n't influence the result

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She is one of many gate judges over the canoe slalom course